Brigitte Naggar of Common Holly. Photo by Alex Apostolidis

Two Canadian acts and two Portland ones will be gathering for one night of music on Saturday, and there are several good reasons why you should considering going.

You might be thinking, “Four bands is too many!” But if you’re going to pull yourself together and go out for the evening, then, ya know, go out for the evening. Nap accordingly in the afternoon, then make your way to the semi-hidden spot known as The Apohadion Theater. The venue’s signage won’t win any awards, but the place has become something of an indie band haven, and this show is but one example. Plus, with four bands on the bill, odds are you’ll dig at least some of what you hear. In fact, I have a feeling you’ll like a whole lot of what you hear in this intimate space.

Montrealer Brigitte Naggar, aka Common Holly, will have a full band with her at this show. The debut album from the dark indie-folk rock act is 2017’s “Playing House” and the follow up, “When I Say To You Black Lightning,” drops on Oct. 1 on Barsuk Records. The first single is called “Central Booking” with the lyrics: “I’m sorry New York broke you, it cracked your stamina/I think perhaps it woke you. But now you’re lost in Canada (or, as Naggar sings it, Cana-nana-nana-na-da).” The “Central Booking” video prominently features an orange inflatable air dancer with a yellow shock of hair. I’m not saying it reminds me of a certain White House occupant, but I’m not saying it doesn’t. More importantly though, the song hits the mark, sparsely adorned with acoustic and electric guitar licks and dashes of percussion. Naggar’s vocals are agile and plaintive with both youthful innocence and dragon-slayer qualities.

“Playing House” is a nine-song examination and meditation on a soured relationship, but it’s not a depressing album. Despite the subject matter, “Nothing” is gorgeous and bright, and “Devil’s Doubt” is poetic and manages to be uplifting as Naggar sings about extracting wisdom from sadness: “Quit carrying that burden and quit trying to know the story/Give the angel’s voice a turn.”

Mauno is an experimental pop band also based in Montreal.  Nick Everett is on vocals, guitars, keys and vibes. Eliza Niemi also sings and plays bass and keys. Their brand-new album “Really Well,” set to be released Friday, is home to a pair of tunes that are both just over two minutes long and both mesmerizing, idiosyncratic soundscapes. What’s more, both songs have accompanying videos that bring you further down into the band’s creative rabbit hole.

“Really Really” shows Everett and Niemi in a gymnasium doing assorted exercises as Niemi sings, expressionless, of fear and unresolved love. It’s a weird clip, and I love it. “Take Care” has the pair surrounded by mailing supplies like bubble wrap, stretch wrap and packing peanuts and over the course of the highly stylized clip, the pair are shown essentially getting ready to be shipped somewhere. Lyrically, Niemi and her lovely voice vent frustration with lines like, “I’m sick of waiting for it to fall apart.”

But that’s not all. The two local acts on the bill are Wildflower, which released its debut record in April, and Greasy Grass, the psychedelic pop band that released the EP “Still Greasy After All These Years” last fall. I’ll spare you all the details about them here; a little mystery goes a long way. Plus, they’re local, so with any luck, they’ll be around.

Mauno with Common Holly, Greasy Grass and Wildflower
7 p.m. Saturday. The Apohadion Theater, 107 Hanover St., Portland, $8. theapohadiontheater.com

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